The Eleventh Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
George Carlin
2008 Prize Recipient
The Kennedy Center will posthumously award The Mark Twain Prize to the late George Carlin at the eleventh annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The evening will recognize the life and achievements of the late comedian. Carlin passed away on June 22, 2008.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of this great American comedian," said Kennedy Center Chairman Stephen A. Schwarzman. "At this year's Mark Twain Prize, we will celebrate his many contributions to the world of comedy in a special tribute."
It's a great loss, not only to the world of humor but to America's conscience," said Bob Kaminsky, Peter Kaminsky, Mark Krantz, and Cappy McGarr, Executive Producers of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, in a collective statement." George kept us honest. Of this sad day he might have said that the only truly "dirty word" is death. George Carlin is as deserving as ever of our nation's highest award for humor."
About the Mark Twain Prize
Mark Twain, Buster Keaton, Dorothy Parker, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, Carl Reiner, Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Lorne Michaels...
American history is filled with countless comedians and writers of piercing wit who have left their mark on our ideas, attitudes, and language. The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was created to honor the brilliant minds that elbow American culture to see if it's still alive—and make us laugh about it. The award ceremony is a grand, star-studded tribute to the schtick, gags, wry anecdotes, and unflinching observations that remind us that we are human.
For a man who gleefully named characters Spinal Meningitis, Snodgrass, or Huckleberry, Mark Twain was always painfully aware of what he called "the baseness and hypocrisy and cruelties" of the human race. Twain's humor was always a thin veil, if any, of his social criticisms. His fearless observations outraged many while delighting many more. The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor thus recognizes an artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of American comedy.
History of the Mark Twain Prize
The first annual Kennedy Center Celebration of American Humor took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, October 18 through October 20, 1998. The celebration included lectures, symposia, and master classes, and culminated in the Concert Hall on Tuesday, October 20, 1998 when Richard Pryor was presented with the inaugural Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, named after one of the world's greatest exponents of humor. The program featured a gathering of leading American artists including Chevy Chase, Morgan Freeman, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Damon Wayans, and Robin Williams. It was taped by Comedy Central for cable television broadcast in January 1999.
As a social commentator, satirist and creator of memorable characters, Samuel Clemens—the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist also known as Mark Twain—was a fearless observer of society, who outraged many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly.
The Kennedy Center, as the nation's center for the performing arts, recognizes and presents all of the performing arts including opera, musical theater, drama, ballet and dance, as well as symphony and all kinds of smaller musical ensembles performing every imaginable kind of music. The Kennedy Center organized this "Celebration of Humor" weekend and established the Mark Twain Prize to recognize those who create humor from their uniquely American experiences.
Other Past Winners
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Billy Crystal
2007 -
Neil Simon
2006 -
Steve Martin
2005 -
Lorne Michaels
2004 -
Lily Tomlin
2003 -
Bob Newhart
2002 -
Whoopi Goldberg
2001 -
Jonathan Winters
2000 -
Carl Reiner
1999
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts